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Drum Art snares are completely handmade by a team of four craftsmen in Italy

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Stave to the rhythm

The three drums up for review are a 14"x5" Maple Gloss, a 13"x5" Padouk and a 12"x6" Mutenia Walnut. While the 14"x5" Maple Gloss is equipped with die-cast hoops, the other two drums are fitted with standard pressed hoops.

The 14"x5" Maple Gloss gave a controlled, clean response, with virtually no overtones. The richness of the maple was crowned by a tight ‘pop’, ensuring an equal delivery of warmth and authority. Die-cast hoops influence the sound of a drum and their presence here was undoubtedly a factor in the drum’s focus. Thick shells encourage a quick response and favour higher tunings and, as we slackened off the head, a small amount of flatness began creeping in.

This was not the case with the other two drums. Padouk is a reddish-brown hardwood. Its chief assets are its hardness, guaranteeing volume and sustain, and its smooth balance of tones. Drum Art claims it marries the warmth of wood with the entry of metal.

The characteristics of the 13"x5" Padouk snare – crisp attack coupled with a robust tone – suggested that Drum Art’s assessment was spot on. Each stroke produced a near-instant, aggressive crack which was underpinned with plenty of mid-range body. The drum’s smallish diameter marks it out as a snare for the funkier side of rock. Dialling out the tension makes it punchier and more muscular, retaining a cutting edge.

The 12"x6" Mutenia Walnut snare’s performance was as impressive as its attractive hue. Despite a diameter of 12", the drum was surprisingly full-bodied. Its depth was probably a factor, but the qualities of walnut can’t be overlooked. The hardness of the wood manifested itself in the sound, present whatever the tuning. Stick response was excellent right across the head and brushwork was indulged with enthusiasm.